More on stretching...

Last week, Steve D asked this great question: why do humans need to stretch? 

Our bodies were made to move.  We were not meant to be in a seated position for most of the day.  We were meant to climb, jump, run, hang from trees, twist, reach, dig--all sorts of things that most people don't do in everyday life now.  As CrossFitters, we do a lot of functional exercise when we are in the gym, but for the rest of the day--what are we doing?  Many of us spend a lot of time driving, sitting, and moving forwards only.   How often in everyday life do you reach overhead?  When do you walk backwards, crawl, or scramble over rocks?  Though we do some of these movements in the gym, on the whole our bodies are not doing what they were meant to be doing most of the time.  Because of this, our joints lose some of their range of motion, the connection between our brain and our muscles gets rusty, and our motor coordination becomes inhibited.  Stretching can help to counteract the effects of everyday life on our bodies.

Stretching increases flexibility, increases blood flow to the muscle, and brings the muscle back to its original length.  Having flexible muscles reduces the risk of injury and allows for better recovery after workouts.

Remember, static stretching is done after a workout or after you are very warm.  Dynamic mobility exercises are best before a workout.

On a more interesting note, tomorrow is Manwell's birthday!!  Post birthday wishes to comments.